Stuck with Embarrassment
by Typewriterman
Summary: We found a printer to make our posters! That's how it all started...hopefully Aang won't mention this to Sugar Queen...redo


So this is just a little touch up on (yes I admit it), one of my for favorite stories that I've written. Everyone knows that parents really do have a favorite, and it just so happens that this is mine.

_And I'd like to mention that thanks to Disclaimer Bot 57-0A63, I can't be sued for copyright infringement or anything similar to that. Why would people care that I'm using their characters for a fanfiction? I should've just bought a PS3 instead...they're cheaper..._

* * *

_Why aren't I happy? I mean, I should be all 'girly-girl' giddy at what's happened to me today._

_Well, you did just embarrass yourself again…_

_What do you mean? I don't do 'embarrassed…_

"I'm a Bei Fong…_Toph_ Bei Fong!"

"Yea, I know…What does that have to do with anything?" Sokka replied to the young girl next to him.

"I wasn't talking to you 'Foo Foo'…" Toph quickly remarked to the taller Watertribe boy.

…_Oh great…I did it again…_

It was just a moment ago that Toph's pride led her to sheer awkwardness in front of her friends, and now, she was caught talking to herself…out loud!

_Could this day get _any _better?_

The Gaang found themselves stuck in Ba Sing Se for a month according to their less than honest host, Joo Dee. A month of being stuck in another city filled with rules, and bureaucracy…It hasn't been until this morning however, that the four stopped playing games and finally got down to business. It started out harmlessly with Aang losing his temper in front of previously said Joo Dee, being as direct and foolhardy as any true Earthbender would. Toph was _so_ proud of her student that she decided to make some renovations on their 'humble' abode. Okay, she just wanted to smash stuff.

After visiting their very helpful printer, the Gaang spent the rest of the day placing up posters all over Ba Sing Se in hopes that there were more helpful people within the city's walls.

That's when embarrassment number one happened.

"I think we should split up to cover more area…" Sokka started off.

_Great…just another exciting adventure for Twinkle toes and me…_

"…Toph, I guess you should just come with me…"

_Huh?_

Secretly taken back, Toph reacted as she always would…by jumping to conclusions and being 'Lady Independent'.

_Yeah…I guess I'll shut up now…_

Ignoring Toph's outburst of self-identification, Sokka continued on his mission of finding his large furry transport-thing. He was sincerely impressed by how the printer managed to draw such an exact likeness of the white Bison without any real reference, while the best he could do was draw a cartoony peanut with legs. Still, at least he didn't have to suffer sitting around and drawing all day anymore. All he had to do now was get tired of singing and acting to be _completely_ jaded of the Arts.

Then, his mind went back to what happened before the Boomer-Aang squad separated

…_I guess Toph must have been _really_ embarrassed…she hasn't really been…her…_

He looked back at the small earthbending girl, who simply followed along and stopped whenever he found a spare wall. "Say, Toph…mind helping me with putting up posters?"

He saw her hesitation, followed up by a single "Really?"

"Yeah…you can handle the brush and if we have any time left, we can glue stuff to other stuff later…"

Toph's Sea foam green eyes lit up with excitement at his offer for more rule breaking. In fact, her face almost jumped at the thought of it. Happy with her joyous smile, Sokka handed Toph the brush and they headed off to a spare area of wall.

"Alright Toph, do your thing…" Eager to do her new job, Toph eagerly slopped the paste onto the wall and smiled a toothy smile when she heard the succeeding smack of paper and squish of the glue.

"Hehe, alright…" Toph smirked with her accomplishment and continued slathering glue over the rest of the wall. It was surprisingly fun and in fact, she really enjoyed the simple pleasure of it.

"Uh, Toph, slow down a bit…" Sokka warned the girl, trying his best to keep up with her pace.

"What is it?" She asked irritated at his interruption, and felt him bump into her. "Hey, watch where you're going!"

Toph's immediate halt predictably caught Sokka off guard, sending posters to scatter all throughout the alleyway. She felt that he was still near her and tried to push him off with all her might.

"Come…on…what's wrong with you?" She strained through gritted teeth.

"Whoa, whoa Toph…slow down or you'll rip _both_ of our clothes!" Sokka exclaimed as he grabbed onto her shoulders. Just to be safe, he shook her once for good measure.

"What?" The Earthbender screeched out in confusion by what Sokka meant by that. She could tell that he was right though, by his heart rate and the fact that her clothing began to stretch when she tried to pull away.

"Sokka…where's the brush?" Silence greeted her. A better answer than any explanation could ever tell the young girl. "It's stuck between us, isn't it?"

"Yeah…pretty much." The boy answered her question matter-of-factly. For the third time today, Toph found herself in a tough predicament.

_Let's review the situation… _Toph again told herself, _I can either _

_a) Stay calm and act as a team with Sokka to get out of this…or _

_b) Do as I always do…_

She chose the latter…

"Get...off…me..." Toph strained out again, sure to at least keep _her _clothes intact. Sokka panicked at her brash and Toph-like decision, wracking his brain for some sort of solution. When he heard the tearing of his pants however, instinct took over and he did the first thing that came to mind. Surely he's been in similar situations, where when his pants were in danger, he just grabbed onto them. Of course this time, the all too familiar 'grabbing of the pants' suddenly transformed to 'embracing the girl in front of him'.

At this point in time, neither knew what to do and the awkward silence hovered over them like a Buzzard-Wasp circling its meal.

Afraid of more panicking from the girl, Sokka said the first thing that came to mind…"Ok Toph…don't…panic."

"I'll try my hardest _not_ to…" she tried to say as sincerely as she could though gritted teeth.

"Alright…Here's the first step of the plan: I'll let go, if you promise not to push off of me, deal?" Seeing her head nod in agreement, Sokka quickly let go of her, now being able to assess their situation much more efficiently. "Okay…I need you to cooperate with me so we can get out of this as fast as possible and forget all about it afterwards…"

"Yeah…sure thing, 'Chief'…" Toph sarcastically answered, painfully aware of what any stupid mistakes could potentially lead to.

"Hmm, 'Chief Sokka'…I like the sound of that…has a very nice ring to it…" The water tribe boy quickly imagined, clearly forgetting about their current situation.

"Sokka…the day _you_ become a Chief of _anything_ is the day that I _enjoy_ wearing frilly dresses." She started in a soft and dainty voice. "Now, could you be so kind and…Hurry up and come up with something!?"

Brought back to reality, Sokka looked around their surroundings, forcing Toph to scoot in a circle after him as he looked up and down the alleyway.

"Okay…there's a fountain down that way…" Sokka pointed towards the direction out of habit. "We'll try to move over to there, and use the water to dissolve the glue."

Although blind, Toph could clearly 'see' the vibrations of the fountain that he obliviously pointed to, and with careful deliberation, they began their awkward two-step march towards freedom. Being stuck face forward towards each other; it took some little trial and error before they managed to figure out an efficient system of walking.

With Sokka leading, the pair would slowly and surely make their way without any irreversible damage their clothing. Maybe just a rip or two between them, but the alternative was always much worse. To ease the work, the much taller Sokka unconsciously held onto Toph's small waist and would sidestep every fourth step, allowing variation between walking forwards and backwards for the both of them. In turn to keep balance, the smaller Toph held onto Sokka's broad shoulders, aware that she constantly stepped on his feet and was afraid of losing her balance.

It took a full ten minutes to make their way towards the fountain which now, was only a few feet away. "Alright, we're just a few steps away," confidently announced to Toph, "and nothing hap-" Of course just as he said this, Sokka saw the water rise up and move away on its own. The water tribe boy stopped in his tracks at the sight, alarming Toph.

"Sokka…" Toph nervously said, "What's happening?"

"Guys! What are you doing?" Aang's voice suddenly called from above the two, "Hurry up, I think Katara's in trouble!"

In a rush, the bald Airbender quickly used an air slice and continued his frenzied sprint, finally separating the two and continued rushed after the water trail between them.

Now free, both Toph and Sokka inspected their respective clothing for any damage and saw that not even a trace of glue was left on them.

"Uh…" A nervous groan escaped her lips.

"Yeah, Toph…agreed." Sokka quickly said, and bounded off after the Avatar.

"Yeah…" she quietly answered back. Toph stood there for a second and hid her reddened face under a mess of hair before she took off after the boys.


End file.
